Buffy vs Medusa
by jediknigh5
Summary: When Riley is turned to stone Buffy must find Medusa and force her to turn him back. Fortunately, Anya is an old friend of Medusa. Set between seasons 4 and 5.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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Riley had a bad night. He had planned to meet Buffy at a party, but she seemed to be running a bit late. She probably had to slay a vampire or two. Probably nothing she couldn't handle alone, or she would have called him for backup. Riley went outside for a bit of fresh air, when he saw something. It was a guy and a girl, he'd seen them both on campus but couldn't remember either of their names. What they chose to do together was their own business, except that the girl didn't seem to be awake. This fact didn't seem to stop him from touching her, beginning to undress her. Perhaps Riley should have just called campus security, detained this pervert until they arrived. But seeing this pervert tak advantage of an unconsciouss girl, planning to rape her, Riley's more violent instincts took over. He attacked him, beat him up. Riley threatened to kill him if he ever tried to rape another girl. After this creep left Riley was planning to take this girl to the hospital, if he drugged her they could make sure she was okay. Unfortunately, it was at this moment that Medusa showed up.

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Riley: Can you give me a hand, I need to take this girl to the hospital.

Medusa: You think you can make up for what you did by taking her to doctors?

Riley: What I did?

Medusa: I heard her silent cries, I am well familiar with them. I know you rape her.

Riley: I don't know what you're talking about. Someone did rape her, or at least he tried, I chased him off.

Medusa: All these centuries, and you males still cannot come up with good excuses. Then again, I haven't been too original lately. Prepare to meet your punishment.

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Before Riley could even ask what she meant, Medusa used her powers to turn Riley into stone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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Buffy arrived at the party later than expected. She had been attacked by five vampires who proved themselves stronger than expected. But they were dust now, and Buffy was ready to celebrate with Riley. But when she got there she saw a crowd outside. Campus security was helping a woman who looked like she'd been drugged. Buffy wasn't a doctor so she figured she should let the paramedics do their job. At any rate, the crowd was more interested in a statue that seemed to have come from nowhere. Buffy looked at this statue, and it looked just like her boyfriend Riley. She tried calling Riley, but his phone was apparently disconnected, or turned to stone. Buffy's slayer sense suggested that this statue might actually be Riley. She made up some excuse about how this was an art project, and how she had to bring it back to the art building. The crowd seemed to believe her, it was definitely easier to believe than the truth. She picked up the statue, which was heavy, she would not have been able to lift it were she not the slayer. Buffy called Giles to bring his car so they could get it to his apartment. They then called the rest of the Scooby gang, Willow, Tara. Xander, and Anya. Anya agreed with Buffy's assesment that this really was Riley Finn.

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Anya: Yeah, this definitely seems like Medusa's work.

Buffy: Medusa? As in from greek mythology, snakes for hair?

Anya: She only has snake hair when she wants to make a certain impression, but to answer your question, yes.

Giles: I take it you two are aquainted?

Anya: She's a fellow vengeance demon, we used to be friends. Ofcourse she, like the others, kind of shunned me when I lost my powers.

Xander: Why would she turn Riley to stone?

Buffy: I'm pretty sure he wouldn't cheat on me. Even if he did this is excessive.

Anya: Granting wishes to wronged women was my gimick. Most vengeance demons focus on a specific evil. Thousands of years ago Medusa was a beautiful maiden who served in the temple of Athena. Then she got raped by the god Poseidon, at least he claimed to be the god Poseidon, he was probably putting on airs. Anyway Medusa wanted vengeance, but she wasn't nearly powerful enough to take this thing on. Enter D'Hoffryn, my old boss. D'Hoffryn offered to make Medusa into a vengeance demon, let her punish rapists who hurt women with impunity. That's why she turns rapists into stone statues.

Buffy: Riley would never do that, to any woman.

Anya: Maybe. The truth is Medusa would have been drawn to a rape, or an attempted rape. Maybe Riley was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Truth be told Medusa has never been the most careful of vengeance demons, nor is she a stickler for reasonable doubt. Anyway someone tried to rape that girl, if you want Medusa to lift the spell you'll need to prove it was someone else.

Willow: Buffy you said that campus security was helping a drugged girl right?

Buffy: Yeah, why?

Willow: Well the police probably took her statement, they'd probaby have some idea who really hurt her. I can hack into their database.

Tara: Is that legal?

Willow: Do you really want to know?

Tara: I don't want any secrets between us.

Buffy: Willow you hack into the police department. Anya, is there a spell to contact Medusa and bring her here?

Anya: Yes. I'll do it as soon as Willow proves Riley's innocence.

Buffy: And she can bring Riley back?

Anya: Only for 24 hours. After that, Riley dies and his soul leaves the statue.

Buffy: If Medusa doesn't cooperate, will killing her undo the spell?

Anya: I don't know. And killing a vengeance demon is more difficult than you think. Not to mention she is my friend.

Buffy: Than I hope you can convince her to save Riley. Because if you can't, I'll take my chances and kill Medusa.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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Willow performed what Tara called "Computer magick." She accessed the recent police records, showed how the girl identified the other boy as the one who drugged her, how Riley ha fought him off. After this Anya summonned Medusa to Giles' apartment.

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Medusa: Anyanka, good to see you again.

Anya: You too. But you turned this man into a statue.

Medusa: He had it coming.

Willow: Actually he didn't. I have police records showing that this other guy tried to rape that girl. Riley protected her, beat up the pervert before he could rape her.

Medusa: So he did. Well chalk this up to carelessness on my part.

Buffy: Can you turn him back?

Medusa: Sure.

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Medusa then undid her spell and Riley became human again. Buffy then kissed Riley, who seemed a little confused.

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Riley: What happenned, how did we get to Giles' apartment?

Buffy: Long story.

Medusa: I turned you to stone, turned you back.

Buffy: Apparently not so long.

Riley: Who are you exactly?

Medusa: Medusa.

Riley: Like from the pagan myths?

Buffy: Apparently, and yeah the snake hair is a story.

Medusa: Like how I was beheaded, clearly that didn't kill me. Anyway sorry for the mistake, see you guys later.

Buffy: Hang on. Have you ever considered not turning people to stone?

Medusa: I'm a vengeance demon, so no. Besides I only do it to those who rape women and children.

Riley: You did it to me.

Medusa: And I apologized for that.

Riley: Yeah we have a system in this country called "reasonable doubt." Proving a suspect guilty beyond reasonable doubt before punishing them.

Medusa: Please. Your system allowes wife-beaters, rapists, child-molestors, even murderers to go free just because they can afford bail.

Riley: They only go free until they are convicted, which can be never if guilt can't be proven.

Medusa: Yet your system also throws low-level drug users and turnstyle jumpers into prison if their families can't bail them out.

Riley: Okay, we have a flawed system. But your system turned me into a statue, how many others were wrongly killed by you?

Medusa: I've been doing this for thousands of years, maybe I made a few mistakes. But I was drawn here by the cries of a woman about to be raped.

Willow: I like to point out that the system worked here. The man who drugged and tried to rape this girl is going to prison, where he will get beat up a lot.

Buffy: I guess I can't stop you from doing this, but if you do it again in Sunnydale, I will stop you.

Medusa: Fair enough slayer. I can stay out of Sunnydale, for a little while. But if a woman is attacked, and your flawed system fails to hold the rapist accountable, I'll do things my way and take my chances.

Buffy: I guess we understand each other.

Medusa: I gues we do.


End file.
